“Sare, I will give you no bouquet! Sare, I defend my bouquet with the best blood of my heart! Sare, by what right you demand my bouquet?” “By a right too sacred to be talked of here! Give me the bouquet that you have stolen!” “‘Stolen!’” cried his highness, vaulting into the air, “Sare, I will put back that word down your t’roat with the point of my rapier, sare! I will have von grand, von very grand satisfaction, sare!” “All right! I will send a friend to you this morning, to arrange the terms of a meeting,” said Alexander, turning away. “Make your testament, sare! I advise you, set your house in order, sare!” exclaimed the Austrian, shaking his hand aloft. “Make your testament, sare! for, for me, myself, I will have von grand satisfaction! von very grand satisfaction!” CHAPTER XXI. ALEXANDER’S EXPERIENCE. Words of fire and words of scorn I have written—let them go! Words of hate—heart-broken, torn With this strong and sudden woe. All my scorn, she could not doubt, Was but love, turned inside out—OWEN MEREDITH. “Alick, are you mad? Think what you do!” Alick turned quickly and faced Dick Hammond, whose hand had touched his shoulder. “Mr. Hammond, you here? By what right, sir, do you dare——” “By the right of kinship. Come, come, Alick, your father and my mother were brother and sister. We are first-cousins and old playmates, Alick. We have been rivals, but are so no longer. We need not be enemies. Let us be friends, Alick,” said Dick, frankly holding out his hand. “And do you begin your overtures of friendship by dogging my footsteps and spying my actions?” demanded Alexander, putting his hands behind him. “Nonsense—no!” “Why are you here then, sir? your party have gone home.” “Our carriage was full. I lingered behind to call a hansom for myself, and so became an accidental witness to your challenge of Prince Ernest,” said Dick, good-humoredly. The name of his imaginary rival sent Alexander off into another fit of frenzy. “Yes, I have challenged the diabolical villain, and, by my life, I will meet him!” he exclaimed, grinding out the words between his set teeth and livid lips. Mr. Hammond knew that to argue with him then and there upon the subject of the intended duel would be as useless as to reason with a lunatic. Yet, in a few hours, he hoped he might be able to bring him to his senses. So, laying his hand kindly upon the demoniac’s arm, he said: “Alick, go home with me, or permit me to go home with you, while we talk this matter over.” “No!” exclaimed the madman violently, throwing off the friendly grasp. “Leave me to myself—I advise you to do so!”